According to folklore, Meng Jiangnu was newly married, and her husband was taken to perform ballad service to build the Great Wall of Wan Li. When autumn came and winter came, Meng Jiangnv went all the way and went through all the hardships to send clothes for her husband to keep out the cold. Who knows that her husband died at the construction site and was buried under the city wall. Meng Jiangnv was heartbroken, wailed at the sky, touched the sky, cried down the Great Wall, found her husband's body, and re-dressed and buried it with the cotton-padded clothes she brought. This resulted in the "Cold Clothes Festival".
Spring, summer, autumn and winter cycle back and forth, and October is Meng Dong. October 1st is the first day to enter the cold winter season. From the cold protection of the living to the cold protection needs of the dead.
When sending cold clothes in southern Shanxi, we pay attention to wrapping some cotton in five-color paper, saying that it is to make cotton coats and quilts for the dead.
When sending cold clothes in northern Shanxi, five-color paper should be made into various styles of garments, hats, shoes and quilts respectively. Even to make a set of paper houses, tile columns, doors and windows are ready. Apart from being smaller in size, these paper handicrafts look more exquisite and beautiful than real houses.
Everything that is given to the deceased, such as clothes and money, must be burned. Only when it is burned cleanly can these papers of the world be transformed into silks and satins, clothes and clothes of houses and gold, silver and copper coins in the underworld. As long as one thing is not burned out, all previous efforts will be wasted and the dead can't use it. Therefore, it is necessary to burn cold clothes on October 1, especially carefully. Although this kind of action seems funny, it also reflects the grief and reverence of the living for the dead, which belongs to a spiritual sustenance.
When people send cold clothes, they also pay attention to burning some five-color paper at the crossroads, symbolizing cloth and silk. The intention is to help those orphans who have no ancestors to worship, so as not to be robbed of the winter supplies sent to their loved ones.
Burning cold clothes, some places in front of the graves of the dead, pay attention to the graves before the sun rises. Some places are used to burning sacrifices in front of the door. In many places in Yanbei and Pingyao county in Jinzhong, in the evening, women will burst into tears outside the door. There is a poem in Linxian in the old days: "Sticky paper garments are cut, and the ashes are burned in the early morning." Is it useful to keep out the cold spring and Taiwan fruit? But the sound of sadness is sweet! " It not only describes the scene of sending cold clothes, but also questions its legendary effect.
Children are filial and wear mourning clothes for three years. On the first day of October in the year of filial piety, I changed into a uniform.
Ceremonies, such as the burial of ancestors, are always carried out on October 1st.
On October 1st, people will not only send cold clothes to the dead for the winter, but also carry out some traditional activities symbolizing the winter. On this day, women will take out their cotton-padded clothes and let their children and husbands change seasons. If the weather is still warm and it is not suitable to wear cotton at this time, we should also urge our children and husbands to try it on for good luck. Men are used to arranging stoves and chimneys on this day. After the installation, try to make a fire to ensure smooth heating in cold weather.
On October 1st, women are forbidden to go out. People improve their lives, and buckwheat noodles and oat noodles are popular in mountainous areas.